A job strategy that works for you
There are right and wrong ways to embark on a job search. The more focused you can be will directly influence your results. If you devote time to networking and making contacts, rather than aimlessly applying for everything in sight, you’ll be using your time a lot more wisely and feel as though you’ve achieved more in the process.
Having a clear strategy from the outset (and especially a time constraint on the process) can help you find the right role and make the right decisions for your future. The visible job market accounts for 35% of vacancies. This includes advertisers, recruitment consultancies and agencies. While the hidden job market – which includes networking, direct contacts and vacancies that are filled without ever being made widely known – accounts for 65%. Both are possible avenues, so a considered, strategic approach is required to make the best use of your time.
Browsing the job market
If you are carrying out the job search yourself, the traditional method these days is browsing job advertisements online, on such sites as Indeed and Glassdoor. You can tailor your search and only look at jobs that you are interested in. Or you can widen your search to encompass broader sectors. Going through job adverts is time-consuming though, as each post will need to be reviewed and assessed. Being strict on how long you spend on this each day – as in any online activity – will enable you to make the most of your searches and your available time. Set realistic timescales, so it doesn’t take over your life. The narrower you keep your search parameters, the quicker your search will be. However, this may mean you may miss opportunities that otherwise might have been of interest. It’s a balance you’ll have to find.
Getting lost for words
Commencing a job search will mean you have to get back into the mindset of updating your own CV and online profiles, and also getting a feel for the jobs’ market. This may feel like a chore in the beginning, but becoming familiar with the procedure again will pay dividends in the ongoing process. Too often, people get hooked on LinkedIn and find that two hours have passed without having achieved anything. Browsing online can easily eat into your time and prove unproductive if no headway is made.
Unfortunately, we find it simpler to do this easy stuff, rather that actually picking up the phone and talking to contacts ‘in person’. You can be drawn into reading information online and easily lose an afternoon or evening (or both). You can also end up wasting more time on the job boards than networking and speaking to ‘real’ people, even across online media. Networking via LinkedIn offers a sound approach for job search. LinkedIn is good, as you’ll hopefully already have many connections based on your profile and business links. It is also a format that has remained relevant during lockdown, as pretty much all office-based activity has shifted online.
Outplacement is key
This is where outplacement guidance can help. Good outplacement can not only provide the practical elements of helping with CV preparation and creating a LinkedIn profile. It can also help holistically to reveal what you want to do next – in terms of a career – and the strategy to achieve it. Having a clear idea of your next role will make a big difference to the shape of your search.
By talking to an outplacement specialist, you’ll find you will bounce ideas back and forth, and may unveil new avenues to explore in the process. This approach can also help with the emotional toll a job search can take. Even the most resilient, experienced jobseeker can find some trepidation in the uncertainty of taking steps into the unknown. However, the more focused you are, the more successful you’ll be at landing your next job quickly and having a strategy will provide that focus.
